We chat with author Philip Fracassi about The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre, which is a blood-soaked slasher sure to keep readers guessing until the very last page.
Hi, Philip! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Sure–I’m a lifelong writer who took a while to find their groove. I’ve spent most of my life bouncing from career to career, having been a music executive, a bookstore owner; I’ve worked in marketing, sales; I’ve been a security guard and a janitor. For most of my adult life I worked in the film & tv industry, doing art department stuff, props, and other odd jobs. I also spent seven years working in film locations, working on things like Yellowjackets and Star Trek: Picard. I’ve had a couple screenplays produced, and still enjoy screenwriting. I didn’t become a published writer until 2015, and didn’t start writing full-time until 2022. So it’s been quite a journey.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Very early on. When I was in elementary school we were told to write a creative story. I wrote a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pastiche that cracked up my class. From that point on, I was lost to writing. I fell head over heels in love with writing and books and horror, and that love has never wavered.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Chronicles of Prydian by Lloyd Alexander.
- The one that made you want to become an author: I’d say The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis. There’s a scene in that book that brought me to tears as a young boy, and I think that was what lit the fuse in my mind.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub. Something about the fusion of fantasy and horror, with a protagonist around my same age, really impacted me. Still one of my all time favorites.
Your latest novel, The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre, is out September 30th ! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Serial killer in a retirement home.
What can readers expect?
There’s a lot of layers to this book. It’s a slasher in the sense that there are brutal, bloody kills. It’s a mystery / thriller in that you’ll be trying to figure out who’s behind everything, (hopefully) until the very last page. But more than both of those things, it’s a treatise on aging and death told from the perspectives of some wonderful, colorful characters. I think readers will find themselves emotionally attached to many of the residents of Autumn Springs, for better or for worse (it is a slasher, after all, and not everyone makes it to the end).
Where did the inspiration for The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre come from?
I was touring for my novel Boys in the Valley in late 2023 and my wife and I stayed at a Marriott Hotel in Virginia that was on top of this big hill surrounded by acres of grass and trees, and the buildings were Civil War era with these wonderful brick facades. On a sunset stroll I mentioned that it seemed more like a retirement home than a hotel, and—BAM—the ideas started coming fast and furious. When we got back to the hotel room, I opened my laptop and typed the words THE AUTUMN SPRINGS RETIREMENT HOME MASSACRE, followed by a couple paragraphs. I sent that to my agent and the next morning she replied saying: “Oh my gosh, you have to write this!” And so I did.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved all the characters, but I especially enjoyed writing Rose DuBois, who was such a joy to dive into. She’s so complex and fully formed, and has such a wonderful personality. I loved telling her story, even the bad parts.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge in writing this particular book was that it refused to be outlined. I’m a big outliner, and all my novels have extensive chapter-by-chapter outlines before I begin writing. For some unknown reason, this novel was stubborn on that front. I knew the basics of what I wanted to do, and I had a couple wonderful characters in my head, but I just couldn’t lay down the beats of the story. I was blocked. So, one day I just threw my hands up and said “so be it,” and started writing. Not ideal given that it’s a mystery thriller with red herrings and misdirection and a massive cast of characters… but I think it worked out okay.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on a follow-up to my horror novel, Gothic, called Gothic 2: The End. It’s slated to release April 2027. I have two books coming out next year (Sarafina in April and a story collection, Traps and Specters, in September), and two more in 2027, and once I finish Gothic 2 I’ll begin working on a novel for 2028. I have a couple ideas to choose from, so we’ll see which one gets priority.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
I really enjoyed a couple Advance Reader Copies that I recently finished: Daytide by Chris Panatier and Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman. Both are slated for 2026. Other books I read recently that I’d recommend are The Reformatory by Tananarive Due, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones, the Assassin series by Robin Hobb, Stoner by John Williams, and James by Percival Everett. I’m excited for the upcoming Joe Hill novel, King Sorrow, and Tom’s Crossing by Mark Z. Danielewski.
